


The Next Five Minutes

by invisible_doorknob



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: M/M, more treacle, why am i always late to these things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 22:25:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6348034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_doorknob/pseuds/invisible_doorknob
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What did Jack's text say?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Next Five Minutes

_*bzzzt*_

_Lord have mercy._ It’s a genuine prayer. Eric stares at the empty doorway to the hall, trying to gather wits that have fled every which way, then looks back down to his phone without really seeing it. 

_Lord have MERCY._

Is he dreaming? Every nerve in his body seems lit, and yet he feels like he has to be asleep. Because in the real world, Jack Zimmerman--hockey robot, Captain, broody recluse, secret crush, and dear friend--is _straight_. 

_*bzzzt*_

Eric can still taste him, though. Still feel the warm pressure of Jack’s lips on his, even still _smell_ him, a faint whiff of cologne and fresh sweat. Eric’s fingertips seem to echo the pound of Jack’s heart beneath his dress shirt. 

He raises those fingertips to his own chest, where the same fast beat is drumming. It had been...it had been everything he’d dreamed of, and _more_ than that, and he just doesn’t...he can’t… 

_*bzzzt*_

The vibration finally makes it through to Eric’s consciousness, and he looks down again. His hand is wrapped so tight around his phone that the poor thing should be screaming, and he almost has to force his fingers open. 

_“I’ll text you._ ” 

Jack’s words finally penetrate, and Eric almost drops the phone opening up the text app. For a horrible second he freezes, because if it’s Jack saying he made a mistake Eric’s heart will just _shatter_ , but then his thumb moves on its own and the messages pop up. 

_Bitty--I meant that._

And he can breathe again. Eric gulps in air. 

_I didn’t want to leave but I had to. My parents are expecting me._

_Bitty, are you okay with this?_

And at that Eric scrambles to reply, almost dropping the phone _again_ , furious at himself for making Jack wait even one second for a reply. 

_Of course I’m okay--I’m more than okay. Jack, that was wonderful, amazing!_

Texting’s a _terrible_ way to express his feelings right now, but it’s what he has, so he runs with it. The reply comes so fast he knows Jack was watching his screen. 

_Oh. Good._

Which looks absolutely awful, but Eric starts giggling, because he _knows_ what Jack means. _Sweetheart, I have GOT to teach you to use emoticons,_ he thinks, and types. _I’ve wanted this for a long time. I just never thought I could have it._

And isn’t that God’s honest truth. He pushes “send” and giggles again, pure joy bubbling up like sweet water inside him. It’s silly and he knows it, but he can’t help himself. The tear sliding down his cheek is just overflow. 

_I think I wanted it too. But I couldn’t let myself know it._

Eric nods, because he knows that road. _It’s okay,_ he sends back. _You’re here now._

There’s a pause, and then-- _Sorry. I had to cross the street._

Eric laughs again. _You shouldn’t be texting while you’re walking! Safety first, Jack! ;)_

He adds the last bit because Jack has finally learned to _read_ emoticons, at least some of the time. 

_If I fall and hurt myself w_

For a second Eric thinks he _has,_ but then his mind goes in an entirely different direction. His phone vibrates again. _If I fall and hurt myself, will you bake me a pie?_

Eric’s grin is hurting his cheeks, and he doesn’t care one whit, because Heaven save him, Jack Zimmerman is _flirting_. _All the pies you want,_

\--and he hesitates--

_sweetheart._

_And then I’ll kiss it and make it better._

There’s another pause, long enough to make him worry that it’s too much, too _soon_ , but then-- 

_I really want that._

His throat closes up and his eyes water, because _oh._ Just... _OH._

_George is coming, I have to stop. Can I call you later?_

Eric’s fingers slip on the screen. _Any time. Any time at all, Jack._

_Okay._

Eric breathes out a long, long breath, and then jumps when his phone buzzes once more. 

_Imagine one of those heart things here, okay?_

He shuts his eyes tight and presses the phone to his chest. And then rushes to find the prettiest, most rainbowy heart icon possible to send back. Just that, because it’s enough. 

For now. 

And then he realises what _time_ it is, and he has to finish packing to catch the shuttle, and he knows it’s going to be endless hours before Jack can call, but as he hurries out of the Haus Eric all but floats down the porch steps and _has_ to do a spin on the lawn, suitcase and all. 

Because _Jack_. 

His heart flies lighter than the plane, all the way home. 

~End~


End file.
